The Sermon on the Mount: An Exposition

by James Montgomery Boice

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount shows us the absolute necessity of the new birth and a regenerated heart. It points us to Jesus himself. And it indicates the way to blessing for Christians-how we can please our heavenly Father.James Montgomery Boice provides an in-depth look into the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7. He explains the meaning of the text verse-by-verse and relates its concerns to today's world, the church, and the realities of the Christian life.Boice's clear, practical writing makes this a helpful commentary for a wide range of readers-from serious Bible students to interested laypersons-to understand and apply the truths found in Jesus' teaching. It covers such topics as-"The Secret of Happiness" (5:3-12)-"How to Rejoice in Persecutions" (5:12)-"When You Are Angry" (5:21-26)-"Divorce and Remarriage" (5:31-32)-"How to Pray" (6:5-8)-"The Names of God" (6:9)-"How to Defeat Temptation" (6:13)-"Fasting" (6:16-18)-"Spiritual Discernment" (7:6)James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000) was senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was also president and cofounder of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, the parent organization of The Bible Study Hour, on which Boice was a speaker for more than thirty years.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Reference, New Testament, Biblical Studies

328 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1972

About the author

James Montgomery Boice was a Reformed theologian, Bible teacher, and pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from 1968 until his death in 2000. He was also president and cofounder of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, the parent organization of The Bible Study Hour on which Boice was a speaker for more than thirty years.

Reviews

[Jonathan Roberts]

Boice is always a solid go to for pastors when they study a passage, and this one did not disappoint. I only wish I had found it at the beginning of my study and not half way through. Solid resource

[Jim]

It's a decent commentary (for the most part) on the Sermon on the Mount, and has been a great help in study. Boice says some great things, especially when talking about the Sermon as a whole. He suggests we cannot approach it legalistically - "Jesus teaches that the Sermon on the Mount is only for those who know that they cannot live by it." Here we are "dealing with the need for a new life rather than a legalistic system of morality."

But unfortunately, there are a number of things that don't seem to be very Biblical. About halfway through the book, a Calvinistic misogyny starts to bleed through, as Boice talks about making sure women keep themselves attractive for their husbands. And the same Calvinism seeps through toward the end of the commentary in discussions about "pearls before swine" and "the narrow way". In discussing casting your pearls before swine, he suggests that we should not preach the gospel to those who mock it. The only problem with this idea, is that, in my experience, those who mock the gospel don't do it because of their experience with God, or their experience with the gospel. They do it because they have had horrid experience with Christians who have done a poor job of reflecting Jesus. 

If you're embarking on a study of the Sermon on the Mount, this book isn't a bad one to use - if you use it cautiously and discerningly; and make sure it's not your only reference. 

[Christopher Connell]

Excellent expository commentary on the Sermon on the Mount. Boice had keen insights into the text and brings up supporting biblical evidence. He also quotes other commentaries, in particular Martin Lloyd Jones, William Barclay and AW Pink. The end of the book has a wonderful gospel presentation.

[Sharon]

Excellent book by this fabulous author. Our Bible study group does many of his studies.

[Jake]

Great devotional commentary!

[Paul Moore]

This is Boice sermons adapted for book form and therefore is well explained and full of applications,

[Arlene Roth]

Totally disagree with his philosophies and his interpretations of the Bible.

[Ben Connelly]

Boice's work on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is well done to be sure. Knowing that on GoodReads scale, a 3 is "liked it," instead of "average," I give it a 3 - I would definitely say it's above average. It's a little light on theology; a little cliche and 'devotional' at parts. But it's exactly what Boice intended it to be: a sermon series, at a traditional but very biblically-based church, turned into a book.

To me, the book was helpful then, in finding some of the day-to-day impact of the text that some of the other commentaries lost. But then, I also try to find that in day-to-day life, without relying on books for that at all!

So again, above average; a good start for someone newer to this biblical text, but not the best work I used on Matthew 5-7.

[David Campton]

Given the context it originally came from, that is early 1960 conservative evangelical America, this has limited applicablity in my current context. However, this is a commentary that transcends some of the limitations of its origins, drawing on a wide range of sources that would have been anathema to its author's audience then (and perhaps now) and so stretches its readers' understanding of the Biblical text.

[Phillip Ross]

It's okay. Boice doesn't stir my juices.

[JonM]

Boice annoys me because he spiritualizes everything to the point of neglecting almost all historical-grammatical exegesis.

[Joshua Reitano]

Theologically solid, if often a bit dry. Homiletical help mostly in the area of organization.

[Tom James]

A readable and accurate exposition of the Sermon on the Mount. The chapters are short and to the point. Boice devotes several chapters to the subject of Christian marriage and to prayer. Unfortunately, he does not address how the "law and the prophets" apply to the Christian today. Other than that, Boice does an admirable job in explaining the meaning of Christ's sermon thoroughly, without getting bogged down with excessive detail. Particularly interesting is his point that the reader is to understand that Christ Himself is the main message. The crowds were astounded at Christ's authority, and that is the thought that Matthew leaves us with in the gospel that contains the sermon.